I think it's pretty interesting. In some ways I find (so far) the class to be somewhat frustrating because I would like more to actually get into the details of learning these technology resources rather than talking about why we don't use them. Since that's mostly what was going on tonight, I will comment on that. I agree that people don't like the idea of incorporating new technology. I think some teachers have been teaching for many years, have found their so-called "groove," and don't feel like adding a bunch of bells and whistles is going to help anything. Some actually believe that adding technology will detract from the basics and the "raw" core material.
As a new and fairly young teacher, I think I am more open to technology than many other teachers. I am in my second year of teaching, and am already the TIC and the technology committee chair at my school. This is not because I have had any special courses or training - mainly, it is because I have tinkered around with technology since I was a teenager. I feel comfortable trying something on the computer, and there are many things that just come intuitively to try. Multi-tasking comes naturally. For example, while still listening and reading the chat intermittently, I also watched all three videos and the slide show on the "why social software" page by the time the group had finished watching the "shift happens" video. Since then, I have also already started my own wikispace, inserted a picture, and began some text. Oh yeah, and graded 6 classes worth of assignments.
I guess my main reason for being in this class is not because I don't know technology. Rather, I am trying to see how I can bend technology in my favor and learn the things I don't already know - the actual dynamics of having a class blog or a wiki page. How do I podcast? What do we do if we want to implement these things in our classes but not all students have access outside of school?
As a new and fairly young teacher, I think I am more open to technology than many other teachers. I am in my second year of teaching, and am already the TIC and the technology committee chair at my school. This is not because I have had any special courses or training - mainly, it is because I have tinkered around with technology since I was a teenager. I feel comfortable trying something on the computer, and there are many things that just come intuitively to try. Multi-tasking comes naturally. For example, while still listening and reading the chat intermittently, I also watched all three videos and the slide show on the "why social software" page by the time the group had finished watching the "shift happens" video. Since then, I have also already started my own wikispace, inserted a picture, and began some text. Oh yeah, and graded 6 classes worth of assignments.
I guess my main reason for being in this class is not because I don't know technology. Rather, I am trying to see how I can bend technology in my favor and learn the things I don't already know - the actual dynamics of having a class blog or a wiki page. How do I podcast? What do we do if we want to implement these things in our classes but not all students have access outside of school?